As PEC’s deputy director of land use, I am writing to let you know about several local issues that have both regional and national implications. Put simply, the rural area of Prince William County, also known as the “Rural Crescent,” is under threat. Three different proposals are being considered, each unique in scope, but together represent the urbanization and industrialization of the remaining rural lands in Prince William County.
Our Region
PEC focuses on nine counties and one city in the northern Piedmont of Virginia: Albemarle, Charlottesville, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock.
We also team with local organizations to promote thriving communities and healthy natural resources in a much larger region, including the Shenandoah Valley, the central Piedmont, and the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Corridor. In addition, we are proud to serve as fiscal sponsor of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, an organization that focuses on land use and policy in the greater Washington D.C. area.
Rural Crescent Under Threat in Prince William County
Learn about three proposals that could change the character of Prince William County forever.
750+ Trees Planted at Sky Meadows State Park
In October, volunteers helped plant 3.5 acres of trees to protect the Goose Creek Watershed.
Halloween Bike Ride Tours Spooky Cville
There were thrills and chills at the Halloween Social Bike Ride in Charlottesville on the evening of October 28, 2021. About two dozen riders, most of them in costumes, gathered at Peloton Station and rode a relaxed, six-mile route through Charlottesville neighborhoods and the University of Virginia grounds.
Week Ahead for November 1, 2021: Council to get food security update; Site plan meeting for next public housing redevelopment project
And now we find ourselves in the last two month of the year, when meetings will slow down for the last two weeks of both November and December. The election results will set the tone for the rest of the year, as anticipation begins for what kind of year 2022 will be. Election Week also often coincides with a slower week, with Electoral Boards having the busiest of times. That’s the case over the next several days.
Week Ahead for October 25, 2021: Charlottesville to hold climate vulnerability forum; Council to meet with police review panel
There’s one week left in the tenth month of the year, a year which seems to have just started. This last week of October may seem sleepy, but these are often the weeks that end up the most tumultuous. There are no top-level meetings this week in Fluvanna County or Louisa County, but there’s plenty going on elsewhere in our coverage area.
Fall’s Favorite Fruit: Persimmon
While walking outside this afternoon, I noticed the tree branches along my fence row were uncharacteristically low. A quick walk over revealed that our persimmon trees are producing fruit, and a lot of it!
Learn About the Proposed Rapidan River – Clark Mountain Rural Historic District
On Thursday, Nov. 4 at 5:30 p.m., PEC hosted a virtual community meeting to learn about the proposed Rapidan River – Clark Mountain Rural Historic District and our work to get it listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places.
49th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act
The Clean Water Act was passed the same year the Piedmont Environmental Council was founded, in 1972. The landmark law provides a set of broad goals, national minimum standards and processes to move toward improved water quality. Today on its 49th anniversary, we want to reflect on the way much of our conservation work comes back to water.
Week Ahead for October 18, 2021: Public meeting for Albemarle transit; Area planners to discuss affordable housing across region
Why are these counties the ones covered in the Week Ahead newsletter? If you’re a new reader, all of the jurisdictions listed are in the Thomas Jefferson Planning District. That’s one of 21 such regions in Virginia as delineated by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Each week, my goal is to both inform you of what is coming up at local and regional meetings in order to provide context for how Virginia’s localities are interwoven with the Commonwealth’s government.